Carrier apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. R. POLLOGK, CARRIER APPARATUS.

No. 517,292. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

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(No Model.) 2 -Sheets-8heet 2 J R POLLOGK CARRIER APPARATUS.

No. 517,292. Patented Mar. 2'7, 1894.

A TTORNE YS.

:L *tidmllllllli STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. POLLOCK, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

CARRIER APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,292, dated March 27, 1894. Application filed November '7, 1893. Serial No. 490,274. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. POLLOOK, of Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Carrier Apparatus, of wh1ch the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in carrier apparatus intended especially for use in store service and seeks among other improvements to conveniently brake the car on its return to the stations to avoid unnecessary noise and to provide a simple, safe, economical and easily operated apparatus. The invention has for further objects other improvements and consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In thedrawings-Figures 1 and 1 a represent a slde view of a store service apparatus constructed according to my improvement parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the hanger and connected devices at the counter. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the roller and take up shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a detail View of the hanger bridge. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the car or carriage and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show the catch in detail. Fig. 10 represents in detail the take up construction shown in Fig. 1 and Figs. 11 and 12 are detall views.

I The improvements are shown as embodied in an apparatus having a grade track formed Wlth inclines A B leading up from respectively the counter O and the desk D and suitably supported at its ends usually upon depending hangers E as shown. Between its ends and especially when it is desired to pass the track over obstructions or curve it around the same it may be carried upon a hanging brldge F which is formed with the hanger sectlon F, and the lateral track receiving arms F having near their ends notches f which form seats for the track wire. In practice the section F may be secured to the ceiling or to a support F depending therefrom in carrying the track over obstructions and in carrying it around obstructions guys F may be employed in connection with the bridge as shown in the detail view. This bridge is important as it operates efficiently to support the wire in the desired place and avoids any considerable noise such as is commonly experienced in bridging tracks as in the use of the present construction there are only two slight clicks as the carrier passes over the lateral track receiving arms.

In propelling the carriage I provide a propelling line G secured at one end to the track and movably supported at its other end so it may be spread with relation to the track to operate bya wedging action to move the carriage along the track and to provide simple slack take up mechanism is one of the objects of my present improvement. To this end I provide guides or bearings H preferably forming part of the hangers E as shown and formed of side rods h h separated and arranged parallel as shown. In my former Patent No. 506,072, dated October 3, 1893, I provide a block or ball and a guide therefor, such guide being so formed as to effect a taking up of the slack as fully described in said patent. In the construction shown herein each of the propelling lines has at its movable end a roller or block which engages and rolls against the rear sides of the rods 72. In my present improvement in connection with the block and guide bearing H I employ a take up device which is independent of the bearing of such roller I and guide H. At the counter end of the track there is usually a greater incline and more slack than at the opposite or desk end the desk in most cases being elevated, and for such reason it may be preferred to employ a different take up at such end to take up the greater slack, and I therefore show two different forms of slack take up which I will now describe, preliminary to which I would say that in both such constructions the slack take ups are independent of the engagement of the roller and the guide bearings.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the take up comprises a rocking lever J fulcrumed between its ends to the roller or block I and having one arm J connected with the propelling line and forming the medium bywhich said propelling line is connected with the block or roller. The other arm J of the lever is arranged at an obtuse angle to the arm J and to it is connected the hand or operating line K which extends over the guide L and depends in convenient reach of the operator. This guide pulley L is so related in position to the arm J 2 that as said arm is lifted toward the guide L it will be drawn forward to tilt the rocking lever J and take up the slack in the propelling line as will be understood from the dotted lines in Fig. 2 in which the lever and roller are indicated in dotted lines up close to the guide L.

In Fig. l and in Figs. 10 and 11 I show a somewhat different form of take up in which a line M connected with the propelling line is looped around a drum 1' of the roller land 18 extended up over a guide down to form the hand line. This line M is doubled and looped through itself in wrapping it around the drum f so that the line may draw squarely upon the drum and it is obvious that after lifting the roller I to the top of its guide it may be turned forming a drum to, take up the slack. This form of take up may be used at the cashiers desk as before stated. It is preferred to fulcrum the lever J, upon a shaft or pm as shown in Fig. 3, which shaft or pin turns with the blocker roller instead of forming a fulcrum therefor.

To aid in lifting the propelling line and to such extent constitute a motor and to maintain the same movably in elevated position to form a brake to the carriage or car returning to the station I provide what for convenience of reference may be termed a retarder and motor comprising a plunger N connected by a cord I\ passed over a pulley at with the roller or block. This plunger is fitted air tight to and operates in a cylinder 0, which cylinder is air tight. In operation as the plunger is drawn out a vacuum is produced beneath it which resists the outward or upward movement of the plunger and produces a strong tendency to pull the plunger back to the lower orinner end of the cylinder. This operates in practice to aid the pull cord in lifting the propelling line and car to propel the latter up the track. It should be understood that in use, the inner or lower end of the cylinder is closed air tight. Now if it be desired to let the plunger operate easier a greater or less quantity of air may be admitted to the cylinder the cylinder being for such purpose extending below the lowest point to which the plunger extends that is below the lowest level of the roller or block to form an air chamber. To this end the cylinder has an air outlet at its lower end and a valve 0 controlling the same so that the plunger may be lowered to the desired point in the cylinder and a sufficient amount of air let in and the opening then closed by valve 0. Usually I pour a small quantity of oil in the cylinder above the plunger to prevent the passage of air past said plunger and also case its movements up and down the cylinder. As it is raised, the plunger produces a a partial vacuum below it, the air pressure thus enabling a small weight to properly operate. If a heavier weight is desired or found necessary weights may be added to the plunger above or below as may be found most convenient. The air inlet and its controlling valve enables the air in the cylinder to be conveniently manipulated to adjust the force of the plunger to suit the weight of the car, and the grade, &c., in any particular case. The catch P for the carrier is supported on the hanger and is composed of the side sections P secured pivotally between their ends upon the bolt 1 by means of the retaining sleeve P which is placed on the bolt P and is slotted in front and rear at p for the passage of the sections 1" and to form jaws which fit down alongside the sections P and hold them to the bolt P as shown. The front ends of the sections flare apart toward their outer extremities forming a wedge shaped space into which the body of the car forces itself as it returns and the said front ends or arms of the sections have a limited pivotal movement upon the bolt and are given a tension toward each other by means of a spring I" between and operating to force the rear arms of the sections apart. In practice a washer I is arranged upon the bolt P between the head of such bolt and theunder edge of the catch sections and the rctainingslecve. The carriage or car which as shown is adapted for cash has rollers to run upon and below the track and has its portion Q, which for convenience of reference I term the body of the carriage tapered vertically gradually decreasing in thickness from its upper to its lower end as shown most clearly in Fig. 6 and the car and catches are so related to each other and to the track that as the car enters the catch, the upper thicker portion of body Q engages the catch as shown in Fig. l. Theiuitial movement of the pro nellingline exerts a lifting movement upon the car so that it lifts it to bring the thinnest portion of its body between the catch sections so that but slight resistance will be offered to the passage of the ear out of the catch under the action of the propelling line, the catch retaining the car until all the slack is out of the pull cord.

I find in practice that serious objections result to carrier systems especially to simple cash carriers as distinguished from bundle carriers because of the noise incident to their operation. To reduce the noise to a minimum I prefer to form the carriage or car Q and the cash cup (1 of non-resonant material preferably soft rubber or leather of sufficient thickness to stifily support the wheels and the cash and yet sufficiently soft to cushion all blows and impacts and deaden the vibrations experienced in the passage of the car from point to point. This feature of my improvement is quite important as it avoids a grave objection to the systems now in use and does it iira simple economical manner. In the construction shown the frame is formed with side plates q which are connected by the shafts g of the wheels Q These shafts g are supported in the non-resonant frame and extend through and beyond the side plates, and may form devices to brace such IIO side plates in proper position or relation to- I one side of the plate or plates and turn nuts upon them up against the opposite side and while manifestly the steps or shoulders may be fixed parts upon the shafts it is preferred to employ nuts upon both the inner and outer sides of the frame and to thread both the inner and outer nuts upon the shaft as shown. It is also preferred to make the nuts next the pulleys with recesses g to receive the ends of the hubs to prevent the oil lubricating the wheels from passing out to the frame.- This form of fastening or connection between the sides of the frame is especially desirable in the form of soft non-resonant frame described as it braces the same rigidly in position. The

frame of the carriage as shown in Fig. 6 may be split at one side to pass the bridge and by its resilience will spring open in passing and resume its normal shape after it has passed the bridge as will be understood from Fig. 6. The cup is secured to the main portion of the carriage by a bayonet or other suitable joint and to provide for taking up wear ora loose fitting of the partsI split the main portion of the carriage at g so it may be spread by forcing raw cotton or other material into it to secure a tight fit of the parts and avoid all rattling noises. In securing this end it will be noticed that the slit portion of the carriage being of rubber or leather is adapted to be spread as described. The cash cup is formed of soft rubber or the like so that if it should accidentally fall upon a show caseit will not break the same or if it falls upon the counter or floor it will not break itself. An advantage resulting from the special construction of the connecting devices for the side plates of the frame is that it permits the convenient adjustment of parts to take up the wear of the pulley hubs.

In order to permit the adjustment of the upper and lower pulleys toward each other I prefer to slot or elongate vertically the openings in the frame for the upper or lower pulleys so that in case of wear in the bearings or otherwise the pulleys may be set nearer together as desired and then fixed rigidly in such position by tightening the nuts as before described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a carrier apparatus, the combination of the track the propelling line, a roller or block connected with said line, a bearing con= sisting of parallel rods between and against which said roller bears, and a slack take up independent of the engagement of said roller with its bearing substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a carrier apparatus,

' of the propelling line, the roller or block, a

bearing against which said roller or block engages, a lever fulcrumed between its ends to said roller or block and having one arm connected with the propellingline, the hand line connected with the other arm, and a guide for said hand line so related to said lever arm as to eifect a tilting of the leverto take up slack, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination with the track, of the hanger bridge formed with the hanger section and with the lateral track receiving arms having seats for the track, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of the propell ng line, the'roller or block having a drum, a guide bearing against which such roller engages, a slack take up line connected with the propelling line and wound on the drum of the roller, and a guide for said take up line substantially as set forth.

5. In a carrier apparatus, the combination of the catch and the car having a portion for engagement by said catch, such portion being made with parts of different thicknesses whereby it may be held by or conveniently released from the catch, substantially as shown and described.

. 6. In a carrier apparatus the combination of a catch, a carriage or car arranged to engage the same and having its portion engaging such catch tapered as described, and a propelling line for said carriage arranged to exert a lifting tendency upon said carriage, substantially as set forth.

7. In a carrier apparatus, a catch having side sections, a securing bolt, and a sleeve embracing said bolt and having jaw like portions securing the catch sections, substantially as set forth.

8. In a carrier apparatus, the catch herein described consisting of the bolt, the side sections having front and rear arms, the spring between the rear arms of the sections and the sleeve fitted on the bolt and securing the sections thereon, substantially as set forth.

9. In a carrier apparatus, the combination with the track and the devices for propelling the car therealong of an air tight cylinder, a plunger fitting air tight in and operating in said cylinder and connections between the said plunger and the propelling deviceswhereby the vacuum produced beneath said plunger on a partial withdrawal thereof will aid in operating said propelling devices, substantially as set forth.

10. In a carrier apparatus, the combination, with the track and a propelling line for propelling the car along said track, of a cylinder a plunger fitted air tight in said cylinder and connections between saidplunger and the propelling line whereby the said plunger will by air resistance to its outward movement retard or brake the return of the car, and will by the vacuum produced beneath it aid in actuating said propelling line to drive the carriage, substantially as set forth.

11. A cash car for carrier service having its entire framing formed of non -resonant material and its wheel shafts supported in said material, substantially as specified.

12. As an improved article of manufacture, a cash car for carrier service having wheels and having its frame composed of soft rubber and the bearings for its wheels supported in said frame, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of a carriage or car for carrier apparatus having a main portion and a cup fitted thereto and said car having such main portion slit and adapted to spread to secure a tight fitting of the parts, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination of a carriage or car for cash carriers having its frame provided with openings, the pulley or wheel shaft fitted in said openings and provided with threads on opposite sides of the frame and opposing nuts, turned on said shaft on opposite sides of the frame, substantially as set forth.

15. In a carrier apparatus the combination of a car having its frame form ed of side plates of non-resonant material as specified, the pulleys or wheels, the shafts therefor extended between and through the opposite side plates and having threads at the inner and outer sides thereof, and nuts turned on said shafts up against the inner and outer sides of the plates, substantially as set forth.

16. In a carrier apparatus the combination of a carriage or car having a side plate or plates, a shaft extended therethrough and having a shoulder or stop to bear against one side of said plate, and a nut turning on the shaft up against its opposite side, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination of a carriage or car frame having upper and lower wheels and shafts supporting the same and having the openings for one or both of the shafts elongated vertically to permit the adjustment thereof and nuts for securing said shaft or shafts rigidly when so adjusted substantially as set forth.

18. In a carrier apparatus, a car having its frame formed with side plates of non-resonant material, a wheel or wheels supported between said side plates and devices whereby said side plates are braced firmly at the desired distance apart, substantially as set forth.

19. A car for carrier service having its frame formed with side plates composed of soft rubber, its wheels supported by and between said side plates, and provided with devices whereby the said soft rnbber side plates are held firmly in the desired relative position, substantially as shown and described.

20. In a carrier apparatus, a car having its main frame composed of soft rubber and having at its lower end a portion to receive the cash cup, such portion being expansible whereby it may be expanded to secure a fit, substantially as set forth.

21. In a carrier apparatus, a car having its frame composed entirely of soft rubber providing thereby a cushioned part for contact with the catch and a non-resonant support for its wheel shafts, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

22. In a carrier apparatus, a carrier or car having a catch engaging portion which tapers vertically combined with the catch arranged for engagement by said portion, substantially as set forth.

The above specification of my invention signed by me in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES R. PQLLOCK.

Witnesses:

P. B. TURPIN, SoLoN C. KEMON. 

